Chapter 1

Ruby Harris told me she wanted to bring her family over for dinner, and then they'd all catch the night train out of town.

I agreed.

I had no idea I was inviting trouble into my own home. They were already plotting against me.

They tortured me for a dozen hours before finishing me off in cold blood.

When I time-travelled back, I found myself standing at the door once again.

The commotion outside meant they'd already arrived.

*****

"Quinn, dinner's ready. Come out and eat with us," Ruby called out from the hallway, her voice all friendly and cheerful.

But for me, it hit like a ton of bricks. I was rooted to the spot, too stunned to move.

Wait, what was happening? Wasn't I dead?

I glanced around, confused. I was in my own room. I looked down at my long nightgown. There wasn't a scratch on it. Did I time-travel back?

Just moments before, I'd finally given in after hours of torment, unwillingly closing my eyes as everything faded away.

It was Ruby and her accomplices who had killed me after all that torture.

I was the one who rented the place. After my former roommate moved out, I put up a new listing—strictly women only, no boyfriends, no kids allowed. Roommates with no sense of boundaries freaked me out.

I had no idea what Ruby did for work, but she was always out early and back late, and she never brought anyone home, which was a huge relief for me.

About half a year went by, then out of the blue, she told me she had to rush back to her hometown for an emergency. She said I could skip the last month's rent, but there was a condition.

She and her family had planned to catch the same train, and wanted to have dinner here before heading to the station together.

After half a year of living together, she seemed trustworthy enough, so I said yes.

My half of the place was basically a private suite. Once I shut my door, it was my own space. Even if her whole family came over, I wouldn't hear a thing.

Little did I know, this was just the beginning of my nightmare.

The last time I lived through this, Ruby called me out for dinner the exact same way. I turned her down twice, but she just kept knocking. In the end, I had no choice but to open the door.

The living room was packed with people. I stood there, stunned. There were way more folks than I ever expected. If I'd known it'd be this crowded, I would've thought twice before agreeing.

When Ruby saw my face darken, she seemed to pick up on my mood and practically steered me over to the table, making me sit down whether I liked it or not.

Four men were already seated there, and the moment I showed up, all their eyes locked onto me. It sent a chill down my spine.

"I'm not hungry," I said.

Just as I tried to stand up, a hefty woman came over and pushed me right back down into my seat.

"Ruby said you've really looked after her these past six months, so we just wanted to thank you. Come on, have a taste of my homemade wine," she said.

She brought over a small bowl filled with wine. It smelled rich and smooth.

I tried to protest, but Ruby came over to help, and the two of them basically poured the wine down my throat.

I was furious. I shoved them away, stomped back to my room, and slammed the door shut. But just as I stepped inside, the world spun out of control and I crashed to the floor.

When I woke up, I found myself lying on a bed I didn't recognize. I tried to sit up, but my limbs were tied tight with ropes. I was completely helpless.

It was late at night. The room was pitch dark, but the door stood open, letting in a sliver of light from the next room. Straining to see, I realized this had to be Ruby's room.

My gut screamed at me. Something was definitely off.

From the living room, I could hear people chatting and drinking, their voices boisterous and loud.

I struggled, and the bed creaked beneath me.

"Is she awake? Go take a look." Ruby's voice came from outside.

The lights snapped on, and a shirtless man walked in, staring right at me with a creepy grin spreading across his face.

Those next hours were pure torture. It was so brutal that I actually wished I were dead.

When they finally left, they hauled me into the bathtub, cut open my windpipe, and just watched as my blood drained out, drop by drop, until there was nothing left.

"Quinn, come out and have dinner," Ruby called, knocking on my door again.

Back then, she knocked three times. Now, this was just the second.

I was still trapped in the fear from before, shaking so hard that my teeth were chattering. I couldn't even make a sound.

After a few more knocks and no response from me, she turned and headed back to the kitchen.

From the living room, I could hear a bunch of guys playing cards, while Ruby and the hefty lady were cooking in the kitchen.

Time was running out.

If I opened the door now, there was no way I'd even make it past the living room. They'd stop me for sure, and might even make their move early.

I should call the police first.